This invention generally concerns an amusement ride, and more particularly concerns a ride which carries a rider about a circular path driven by a rotating propeller or the like. In one preferred embodiment, the ride is also portable and easily alternately assembled and collapsed.
Heretofore, numerous amusement rides have been provided for carrying an occupant, particularly in a circular path. Some of such rides have been driven by gears or belts which turn a central member. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,983 (Barber) discloses a meshing of driven gears to turn a portable ride. U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,960 (Barber et al.) discloses a chain and associated gear driven by a stationary motor to in turn rotate a central hub.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,337,820 (Butcher) and 1,107,287 (Gibson) concern rides simulating or otherwise suggesting the sensations associated with flight in an airplane. Butcher includes rotatable propellers to contribute to the psychological effect of his simulation, but orbital movement of the airplanes about the ride is powered from a centralized drive shaft. Gibson illustrates no propeller feature, and uses a drive motor 15 and meshing gears to rotate his simulated airplanes.
Many other drive arrangements for rotating amusement rides are known. Some examples of such arrangements generally include: U.S. Pat. No. 1,262,687 issued to Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 2,399,332 issued to D'Errico; U.S. Pat. No. 2,659,601 issued to Siverts; U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,168 issued to Taylor; U.S. Pat. No. 3,155,389 issued to Winton; U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,251 issued to De Shano; U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,104 issued to Goforth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,747 issued to Deem; U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,905 issued to Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,264 issued to Bartlett; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,225 issued to Fouche.
A number of such prior drive arrangements (e.g., meshing gears, drive belts, chains, etc.) contain a number of complicated and/or interacting parts which may require frequent maintenance, such as lubrication, repair or other servicing. They may also tend to commence rotation of the ride rather abruptly (such as due to engagement of a clutch or the like), which is generally undesirable and in some instances potentially dangerous. Stopping may entail an equal lack of smoothness, particularly when considering the entire period of deceleration rather than just the actual moment of stopping.
Particularly concerning portable rides, such rides have often required an excessive amount of time for assembly and disassembly because numerous parts had to be entirely disconnected and reconnected in order to move the ride to a new location. Such relatively complicated arrangements obviously require time for their relocation and can constitute a safety hazard if hurriedly set-up improperly.